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2 Quick Facts Location...West Point, N.Y Founded... March 16, 1802 by an Act of Congress Enrollment... 4,000 Superintendent... Lt. Gen. William J. Lennox Jr Athletic Director... Kevin Anderson Nickname... Black Knights Colors... Black, Gold and Gray Conference... Great America Rifle Conference Head Coach...Maj. Ron Wigger (Eastern Kentucky 83) Record at Army (Years) (5) Career Record (Years) (5) Rifle Office Phone... (845) Senior Associate AD/Athletic Communications... Bob Beretta Rifle Contact... Mady Salvani Salvani s Direct Line... (845) Athletic Communications FAX... (845) Salvani s ... madeline.salvani@usma.edu Army Official Web Site... Army A Line... (845) 938-ARMY 2005 Record Conference Finish... 2nd (GARC) 2005 NCAA Championships... 1st Letterwinners Returning/Lost...8/ Team Captain... Lucas Leinberger Facility... Tronsrue Marksmanship Center Athletic Department Executive Staff Army Rifle Table of Contents Table of Contents/Quick Facts... 1 Team Roster... 1 Academy Information West Point History... 4 Academy Administration... 5 Head Coach Maj. Ron Wigger/Support Staff... 6 Season Preview... 7 Black Knight Profiles Results/Statistics Records/All-Americans History/Tronsrue Marksmanship Center Army Rifle on the Internet Once again the Army rifle team will have a presence on the Internet, as the Black Knights season will be fully chronicled on the Army Athletic Association Web site, maintained by College Sports Online. Check it out at: Credits The Army Rifle Media Guide is an official publication of the U.S. Military Academy Office of Media Relations. The guide was designed, written and edited by Mady Salvani with assistance provided by Christian Anderson and Adrienne Gonzales. Special thanks to Christian Anderson for designing the covers. Photos courtesy of Jon Malinowski and the USMA Department of Information Management Creative Imaging Center. Printing by Tennant Printing, DeLand, Fla. Bob Beretta Senior Assoc. AD Athletic Comm. Maj. Sam Cubberley Assoc. AD Facilities Maj. Kim Kawamoto Senior Woman Administrator Col. Jim Knowlton Deputy AD/ Chief of Staff Gene Marshall Deputy AD Nate Pine Assoc. AD External Operations Army Rifle Roster Name Cl. Ht. Hometown/High School Chris Abalo So. 6-0 Glendora, Calif./Glendora David Amiot So. 5-9 Nashville, Tenn./Montgomery Bell John Fiddes Jr Long Valley, N.J./Delbarton Harry Gauthier Fr. 6-3 Arvada, Colo./Pomona Matthew Hamilton So. 5-9 Curwensville, Pa./Curwensville Wesley Hess Fr. 5-6 Humble, Texas/Humble Mike Jablonski Jr. 5-9 Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado Brian Kern So Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem Lucas Leinberger Sr. 5-6 Linn, Mo./Linn Darrell Norman Fr. 6-0 Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs Ian Smith Sr. 5-7 Front Royal, Va./LaCueva (N.M.) Kristina Wilkins So. 5-8 Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore East Mike Pirolo Assoc. AD Marketing, Sales & Broadcasting Ed Rose Deputy AD Finance & Admin. Head Coach: Maj. Ron Wigger, 6th Season Team Captain: Lucas Leinberger Officer Representative: Maj. Dennis Yates Manager: Travis Boudreau Media Guide

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5 The mission of the U.S. Military Academy is to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and selfless service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army. Founded on March 16, 1802, the Academy celebrated its Bicentennial in But West Point s role in America s history dates to the Revolutionary War, when both sides realized the strategic importance of the commanding plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River. Gen. George Washington considered West Point to be the most strategic position in America. He personally selected Thaddeus Kosciuszko, one of the heroes of Saratoga, to design the fortifications in 1778 after problems arose with French engineers originally placed in charge of the design. In 1779, General Washington transferred his headquarters to West Point. Continental soldiers built forts, batteries and defensive barriers. A 100-ton iron chain was extended across the Hudson to control river traffic. Today, several links from that chain are arranged at Trophy Point as a reminder of West Point s original fortifications. In 1802 President Thomas Jefferson signed the legislation establishing the U.S. Military Academy to create an institution devoted to the arts and sciences of warfare. This effectively eliminated America s wartime reliance on foreign engineers and artillerists. West Point became the nation s first engineering school and served as the model for engineering programs which were eventually established at other colleges. Col. Sylvanus Thayer, the Father of the Military Academy, served as Superintendent from 1817 through He upgraded academic standards, instilled military discipline and emphasized honorable conduct. Early graduates were largely responsible for the construction of the nation s initial railway lines, bridges, harbors, and roads. Although the curriculum maintains its focus on engineering, in recent decades the program of instruction has markedly changed, providing cadets a selection of more than 40 majors. This tradition of academic and military excellence, guided by a demanding standard of moral and ethical conduct, remains the cornerstone of the West Point experience. It is said at West Point that much of the history we teach was made by those people we taught. The Academy has produced famous leaders throughout its illustrious past Civil War Generals Grant, Sherman, Lee, and Jackson, to name but a few. In World War I, 34 of the 38 corps and division commanders were graduates. World War II would see many graduates reach brigadier general or higher, to include Eisenhower, MacArthur, Bradley and Patton. In more recent conflicts, MacArthur, Ridgway, Westmoreland, Abrams, Schwarzkopf and Abizaid were in command. Academy graduates have also excelled in air and space exploration, and countless others went on from military service to become leaders in medicine, law, business, religion and sciences. Since its founding, the Military Academy fulfills the same mission as it always has... to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets. It accomplishes this mission by developing cadets in three essential areas: intellectual, physical and military. These developmental paths are balanced and fully integrated into the daily life of each young man and woman at the Academy. Intellectual growth is fostered through an academic curriculum that provides a broad liberal education in the arts and sciences. The electives program builds upon the foundation of the core, allowing cadets to develop even greater competence in selected areas. In addition, the fields-of-study and majors nurture the development of creativity, critical thinking, and selfdirected learning, essential characteristics of 21st century officers. The four-year academic experience leads to a bachelor of science degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army. Physical development is achieved through a rigorous athletic and physical education program. Each cadet participates at the intercollegiate, club or intramural level each semester. This readies the cadet for the physical demands of military life and helps teach good judgment and self-discipline, even while under mental and physical stress. Military development begins with the cadet s first day at West Point. Most military training takes place during the summer, with new cadets undergoing Cadet Basic Training, or Beast Barracks, their first year, followed the second summer by Cadet Field Training. Cadets spend their third and fourth summers serving in active Army units around the world; attending specialty training such as airborne, air assault or northern warfare or helping to train the first- and second-year cadets. The Cadet Leader Development System seeks to give the cadets increasing responsibility until they are ready to receive their commissions and assume their duties as leaders in today s Army. Moral and ethical values guide cadets throughout their four years at West Point. Commitment to the Academy s Bedrock Values, based on integrity and respect for the dignity of others, begins on the first day. Integrity is reflected in the Cadet Honor Code which states: A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. Respect denotes that cadets treat others with the same respect and dignity they themselves would expect. At West Point, it is not enough to train leaders they must be leaders of character. Admission is keenly competitive and is open to young men and women from all states and territories and from every socioeconomic level. Prospective cadets must receive a nomination by a member of Congress or from the Department of the Army. The Academy seeks candidates who possess a record of success in academics, athletics and leadership indicative of a well-rounded individual. Although the life of a cadet is demanding, there remains an array of club activities ranging from golf, skiing, boxing, crew and orienteering to such organizations as the cadet radio station, Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers-Big Sisters. Additionally, the U.S. Military Academy hosts a Special Olympics event each spring. Today s Military Academy is a vastly different institution from the small academy legislated into being by Congress in Originally just 1,800 acres, the Academy has grown to more than 16,000 acres. The first graduating class numbered just two men; today s classes graduate more than 900 new officers annually, both men and women, who are prepared for leadership roles within the Army. With the expansion of knowledge and the changing needs of the Army and the nation, life at West Point has changed to keep pace. Ever mindful of its rich heritage, the U.S. Military Academy is developing leaders for tomorrow, and its focus remains the needs of the Nation s Army in the 21st century Media Guide 5

6 Academy Administration Lt. Gen. William J. Lennox Jr. Superintendent Lt. Gen. William J. Lennox Jr. was named the 56th Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy in the summer of The 1971 West Point graduate, commissioned in the Field Artillery branch, has held a variety of field assignments during his career. He served as Forward Observer, Executive Officer and Fire Support Officer in the 1st Battalion, 29th Field Artillery; and as Commander, Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery, 4th Infantry Division. He was the Operations Officer and Executive Officer for the 2nd Battalion, 41st Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division. Lennox commanded the 5th Battalion, 29th Field Artillery in the 4th Infantry Division and the Division Artillery in the 24th Infantry Division. He has held numerous staff positions as well, including White House Fellow, Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army and Executive Officer for the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans. In addition to his bachelor of science degree from West Point, Lennox holds a master s degree and doctorate in Literature from Princeton University. His military education includes Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (distinguished graduate) and the Senior Service College Fellowship at Harvard University. Lennox s list of awards includes the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (four oak leaf clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Army Commendation Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal, Korean Order of Military Merit, Inheon Medal, Ranger Tab, Parachutist Badge and Army Staff Indentification Badge. He is married to the former Anne M. Theysohn. They have three sons: Matt and Andrew, both field artillery lieutenants, and Jon, a 2002 graduate of Texas A&M University. Brig. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti Commandant of Cadets A 1978 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, Brig. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti returned to his alma mater this summer to serve as the Academy s 69th Commandant of Cadets following a one-year deployment in Iraq as assistant division commander (maneuver) of the 1st Armored Division. Tours at Fort Bragg, N.C., ( ) and Fort Drum, N.Y. ( ) were sandwiched around a three-year stint at West Point ( ) and completion of studies at the Infantry Officer Advanced Course ( ) and the U.S. Army Command Staff College ( ). In 1985, Scaparrotti earned a Master of Education degree in Administrative Education at the University of South Carolina. He also completed studies at the U.S. Army War College in Scaparrotti completed three tours in Washington, D.C. He served with the Army Total Personnel Command and the Army Chief of Staff s Office ( ), and later was chief of the Army Initiatives Group in the Deputy Chief of Staff s Office for Operations and Plans ( ). In his most recent stint ( ), Scaparrotti was deputy director for Joint Operations on the Joint Staff. His initial command assignment was with the 3rd Battalion, 325 Infantry, Southern European Task Force, Vicenza, Italy, during Operations Support Hope in Zaire/Rwanda, Joint Endeavor in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Assured Response in Liberia. In May 1996, Scaparrotti returned to Fort Drum to serve as the 10th Mountain Division s operations officer. In June 1999, he returned to Fort Bragg to command the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. Scaparrotti s awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab and Army Staff ID Badge. Brig. Gen. Patrick Finnegan Dean of the Academic Board This summer, Brig. Gen. Patrick Finnegan was named Dean of the Academic Board at the United States Military Academy. Upon graduation from West Point in 1971, he was commissioned a second lieutenant, attended the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and earned a Master of Public Administration degree in As a cadet, he served as Chairman of the Honor Committee and head manager of the Army football team. Finnegan received his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia Law School in While attending law school, he was a member and editor of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. Finnegan has served JAG Corps tours at Bad Kreuznach, Germany ( ); the Judge Advocate General s School, Charlottesville, Va. ( ); Fort Bragg, N.C. ( ); MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. ( ); and Stuttgart, Germany ( ). He served as USMA Staff Judge Advocate from August 1998 until he was appointed as Professor and Head of the Department of Law in July Prior to his appointment as Dean, Finnnegan also served as head officer representative for the Army football team. During his time at Fort Bragg, Finnegan was deployed to the Persian Gulf to participate in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Finnegan s awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal (oak leaf cluster), the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Humanitarian Service Medal, Saudi Arabia/Kuwait Liberation Medal and the Defense Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster. A member of the Virginia Bar and the Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honor Society, Finnegan has also been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Finnegan and his wife, Joan, have two daughters: Katie Finnegan Rucker and Jenna Finnegan Bechen; and three grandchildren Media Guide

7 Director of Athletics Kevin Anderson Kevin Anderson, most recently the executive associate athletic director for external affairs at Oregon State University, was named Army s new Director of Athletics on Dec. 13, Anderson, who carried more than two decades of leadership and experience to his new post, has already made an immediate impact upon Army s athletic fortunes. In shaping its finest performance in more than a decade this past year, Army won a national championship in rifle, sent a record seven teams to postseason appearances, defeated Navy in the year-long series for the first time since 1978 and forged an overall winning percentage of.582 during the academic year. Seventeen of Army s 25 intercollegiate teams carved records of.500 or better as the Black Knights put forth their highest yearlong winning percentage since a.604 effort in This past year also saw Army reclaim the Patriot League s Presidents Cup signifying the league s all-sports champion for the first time since Army sent its rifle, gymnastics, baseball, lacrosse, men s tennis, women s tennis and golf squads to postseason play, surpassing the previous standard of six teams in NCAA action. The Black Knights did the bulk of their damage in the spring, garnering five NCAA appearances, compiling a remarkable.699 winning percentage and winning six of 10 matchups versus the Midshipmen. Six of Army s eight spring teams won Patriot League titles, while the remaining two squads finished as runners-up in their respective sports, to help the Black Knights to their best spring showing since Army s success opposite Navy snapped a 27-year drought in the all-sports rivalry, giving the Black Knights their first series win over Navy since going (.528) in As he embarks upon his first full academic year along the banks of the Hudson, Anderson is optimistic that the Black Knights can build upon their vast success from From the time I was a small boy, I followed the Army-Navy game, Anderson says. I love the tradition, and I love what the academy is all about the mission of developing leaders who are not only going to lead on the field, but also lead this country after they graduate. I believe the West Point model should be applied to college athletic programs across the country developing leaders of character, building strong minds, bodies and spirit. Those are the things that I ve come to appreciate. I wanted this job more than any other job I ve ever had, he adds. I ve been a candidate for other positions, but walking on this soil on the day I had my final interview was one of the most exciting things in my life. Looking at the history, the beauty and what the academy stands for, and being able to do something at the athletic director level while representing my country means a great deal. During his time at Oregon State, Anderson directed the athletic department s external operations, to include marketing and promotions, sports information, ticket operations and the Beaver Athletic Student Fund. He also oversaw Oregon State s highly successful football and men s basketball programs, leading the search and recruitment for OSU head football coach Mike Riley. Under Riley s direction, the Beavers football team appeared in its third consecutive postseason bowl game this past December. Anderson, who becomes the first African American to hold the position of director of athletics at the U.S. Military Academy, was a member of an OSU management staff that balanced the athletic depart-ment s budget for the first time in nearly 15 years. West Point is tremendously excited about the selection of Kevin Anderson to be Army s athletic director, states Lt. Gen. William J. Lennox Jr., West Point s Superintendent. I am absolutely convinced he is the right person to build a competitive intercollegiate athletic program that represents the high standards of the institution. Anderson arrived in Corvallis, Ore., in December 2002 after serving as executive associate athletic director for external affairs at the University of California. He joined the California staff in November 1997 as assistant athletic director for annual programs and was promoted to associate athletic director for development, tickets and the Bears baseball team in March At California, Anderson was responsible for overseeing all fundraising matters involving capital giving and capital projects, as well as ticketing operations. He also functioned as the primary major gift officer for the athletic department. Under his leadership, California raised more than $5 million annually, including a record number of funds in fiscal years 2001 and Anderson also spearheaded the effort to raise money for a renovation of Cal s Memorial Football Stadium. Before accepting his position with the Golden Bears, Anderson served as area executive director of the YMCA of the East Bay from 1995 through He was director of annual giving with the Stanford University Athletic Department from 1993 through 1995 and was responsible for raising $5 million in annual gifts. While at Stanford, Anderson worked with the Stanford University Provost, current Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Rice echoes Lennox s sentiments about Anderson saying, I have enjoyed working with Kevin, who is someone of integrity and who cares about the academic and athletic experience of the student. Anderson served as director of development, marketing and communications of the San Francisco Education Fund from 1990 through 1993 and was Northern California development director for the United Negro Fund from 1989 to He was also a manager with the Xerox Corporation from 1980 through I want to stress that we are going to do everything that we can to beat Navy and Air Force every year in all of our sports, says Anderson. We want to continue to build on the progress the intercollegiate athletic program has experienced in recent years. One of my primary goals will be to continue restoring a winning tradition to the Army campus, while serving as an integral component of the leadership development process. We want to make sure that the cadetathletes have the best experience possible, both on the field and off the field, he adds. I want these young people to be able to leave West Point and say that they ve had a great experience. I also want the coaches, who do a tremendous job with these cadet-athletes, to feel supported and have the opportunity to teach with all the resources they need to be successful. Anderson graduated from San Francisco State University in 1979 with a bachelor s degree in political science. He is also a 1981 graduate of the Xerox Corporation s New Manager School and the Xerox Marketing School in He completed the executive management program at the Sports Management Institute in Kevin and his wife, Moira, have two daughters, Olivia and Michala, and a son, Kevin Jr Media Guide 7

8 Head Coach Ron Wigger 2005 CRCA National Coach of the Year 2004 CRCA National Co-Coach of the Year 2005 GARC Coach of the Year 2004 GARC Coach of the Year 2002 GARC Coach of the Year Head coach Maj. Ron Wigger returned Army s rifle program to national prominence in the five short years he has been at the helm. His expectations increased every year, first with Army earning a team berth to the NCAA championships by his second year, then qualifying in both disciplines in 2004 followed by the most successful season in school history as the Black Knights capped a magical 2005 campaign by winning the NCAA Championship. Army won by the closest margin in the NCAA history of the championships, edging Jacksonville State by a single point for the title, but in the process dethroned perennial powerhouse and six-time defending champion Alaska Fairbanks run. Not only was it the first-ever national title in rifle history, but it was also the first national crown captured by any Army varsity program since 1949 (fencing). The Black Knights started off their cinderella season winning eight straight matches that included a perfect 6-0 mark en route to capturing their first regular-season Great America Rifle (GARC) title. Army then repeated as runner-up at the conference championships. Honors continued to roll in for the team that etched its name into the history annals as a school-record five riflemen earned All- America accolades by the National Rifle Association (NRA), and Wigger repeated as the National and GARC Coach of the Year. It is the third time in Army s four-year association with the GARC that Wigger was selected by his peers for coaching honors. Prior to winning the NCAA title last March, Wigger led the Black Knights to a fourth-place finish at the 2004 championships, its second highest in school history, and the first time that Army qualified in both disciplines since Wigger concluded his second year at the helm by leading Army s air rifle team to a berth at the 2002 NCAA Tournament and a fifth-place finish in that discipline after edging Navy by a point. It was the first time that the Black Knights, who were reinstated to the varsity ranks in following a three-year hiatus, qualified since Since taking over the program the fall of 2000, Wigger has had an All-America every year, including five last year. He has developed seven All-Americans who have combined for 14 certificates. Kim Pienkowski was a first-team All- America selection in air rifle Wigger s inaugural, becoming the first Black Knight named to that unit since A three-time honoree under Wigger, she was an honorable mention selection in both disciplines her senior year. The most recent pick for first-team honors is Chris Abalo, who made history this past March as the first Army plebe selected in both disciplines and just the second Black Knight to accomplish that feat. Jared Lostetter was a second-team air rifle selection in 2002, while two-time team captain Paul Charbonneau was a four-time All-American under Wigger. He was a firstteam selection in air rifle in 2004 along with garnering second team honors twice in smallbore (2003, 04) before closing his career with his second air rifle certificate after being named an honorable mention in Rounding out that elite group are Mike Jablonski, who garnered second-team certificates in both smallbore and air rifle, along with Lucas Leinberger (smallbore) and David Amiot (air rifle), who also earned secondteam honors in Charbonneau is the only one among that group not returning for the campaign. Wigger has enjoyed an equally prosperous showing in the GARC where Army has crowned three individual champions over the past three years along with claiming the top rookie last year in Abalo. In all, Army has earned 30 all-garc certificates. Over the past five years, Wigger s teams have established new school marks, shattering 10 team and individual records that were on the books when he took over the program. All three team scores (air rifle, smallbore and aggregate), along with seven individual marks, were broken and reset his first three years. Pienkowski holds the school air rifle 40-shot mark, which she set in , and Charbonneau shattered a 15-year smallbore full course (1200) mark in Competing against the top rifle programs in the nation, Wigger has compiled a winning percentage of.686 (35-16). He was instrumental in Army joining the Great America Rifle Conference in after leading the Black Knights to a 7-1 mark the previous year. He guided Army to a fourth-place finish its inaugural year in the GARC, one of the top conferences in the country, and his efforts earned him Coach of the Year plaudits. He was selected again by his peers the last two years and celebrated both times by guiding his sharpshooters to runner-up honors. Army has collected its share of postseason GARC honors, earning eight in 2004 and 15 last year. Charbonneau became the first Black Knight crowned a GARC champion following a school record-setting mark in smallbore in Abalo is a two-time GARC champion, winning titles in smallbore and aggregate last winter while finishing runner-up in air rifle. Overall, Army has earned eight first-team certificates, 15 second-team certificates and seven honorable mentions. Wigger has carved out an impressive slate both as a coach and competitor at the national and international levels. Ranked among the nation s top shooters in smallbore prone, Wigger competed for one of two berths in that event at the 2004 Olympic Trials. The Army mentor was awarded the International Distinguished Shooter Badge by USA Shooting in the summer of 2002 based Media Guide

9 on his gold medal performance in smallbore prone at the 1988 World Cup in Mexico City. Runner-up at the USA Shooting National Championships in 1987 and 1991, Wigger was a member of the All-Guard smallbore rifle team that captured the 1993 national team championship at Camp Perry, Ohio. He was also among the final six shooters competing for a spot on the 1992 Olympic Team. Among his awards is the Distinguished Rifle Marksmanship Badge, the highest military honor a rifleman can receive. As a collegian, Wigger was a four-year letterman on Eastern Kentucky s nationally ranked rifle team where he helped the Colonels to a third-place finish at the 1983 NCAA Championships. Commissioned in the Infantry Branch following graduation in 1983, Wigger earned his master s degree in sport management at the U.S. Sports Academy in Daphne, Ala. Continuing his family tradition, Wigger s father, Lones, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time qualifier who holds 29 world records and is one of the inaugural members of the USA Shooting Hall of Fame. His sister Deena competed at the 1988 Olympic Games where she finished 10th in smallbore. Lones Wigger provided the color commentary for CBS at the 2005 NCAA Championships as son Ron led Army to the 2005 NCAA title. Wigger is married to the former Lorraine Bravo. The couple has three daughters - Alicia (14), Karina (12) and Michelle (7). Head Coach Ron Wigger Quick Hits Since taking over head reins in , Ron Wigger has breathed new life into the program. Army had an individual qualifier in air rifle his first season, then earned a team berth (first since 1992) in that event the following year along with an individual qualifier. The Black Knights finished fifth in air rifle in 2002, fourth in the aggregate scoring in 2004 while winning its first-ever NCAA title in Army has qualified the last two years for the NCAAs in both team events. Its selection in 2004 was the first time since 1987, while the Black Knights fourth place team finish was the second-best in the program trailing third place showings in 1986 and Wigger has had five Black Knights qualify individually for the NCAA Championships. One met the standard in air rifle in 2002 and 2004, while three qualified in four events in He has been recognized as the Coach of the Year in both 2004 and 2005 nationally by the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association along with earning GARC coaching plaudits three times, including back-to-back honors in 2004 and Ron Wigger s father, Lones, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time qualifier who holds 29 world records. Ron was among the final six shooters for the 1992 Olympic team, but only two went. His sister, Deena, was 10th in smallbore at the 1988 Games. Maj. Ron Wigger led Army to its first-ever NCAA Rifle title in Wigger Year-By-Year Year Record Pct. GARC th th nd nd (5 Years) Support Staff The Army Rifle Team Maj. Dennis Yates Head Officer Representative Travis Boudreau Head Manager Media Guide 9

10 Army head rifle coach Ron Wigger could hardly wait for the season to start. He had good reason to be excited about the upcoming campaign with the combination of experience returning and the talent of the newcomers heading into his fifth season. Wigger set a high standard when he stated at season s start that his team was capable of finishing among the top three place winners at the NCAA Championships after finishing fourth in He also felt his young squad was a year away from challenging for the NCAA title. His Black Knights would go on to enjoy a whirlwind season that began with the first meet in October and ending with the national title in March after pulling off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA rifle history. Army exploded onto the scene with a 59-point victory ( ) over defending GARC champion Kentucky in its season and home opener, then rolled over perennial powerhouse West Virginia, , before heading to the President s Trophy Match. Hopes of derailing Navy came up short as Army settled for second place behind the Mids. Army returned to the conference circuit with a vengeance, defeating GARC opponents Xavier and Nebraska on the road, which also included competing that weekend at the Walsh Tournament, to close out its fall conference slate with a perfect 4-0 mark. It was the closest of margins in its win over Xavier as Army edged the host Musketeers by two points ( ) on the strength of its strong showing in air rifle as it overcame a 15-point deficit in smallbore. Freshman sensation Chris Abalo was the high shooter the next day in both disciplines, setting personal bests in air (591) and smallbore (588) as the Black Knights set season marks in all three events rolling past Nebraska. Army s 4682 aggregate was its highest score of the season, equaled later at the NCAA Qualifier, while its 2337 smallbore and 2345 air rifle season marks were later shattered. The Black Knights (5-0) then wrapped up their fall slate with a non-conference win over Norwich to rank third nationally behind Alaska Fairbanks and Jacksonville State. In addition to its strong showing against the top teams in the GARC, Army also finished second at the Walsh Tournament where it trailed defending champion Alaska Fairbanks, , for the team title. It was the Black Knights highest finish at the tournament since winning it in Army took first in the team scoring in air rifle, besting the Nanooks by seven points, Following a long layoff prior to starting the second and toughest part of the schedule, the unbeaten Black Knights opened the winter half of their schedule with a pair of weekend GARC matches in Oxford, Miss. Army romped over host and No. 13 Mississippi by 110 points ( ) with a pair of freshmen setting the pace. It was just as one-sided the next day as the Black Knights clinched their first GARC regular-season crown behind a win over Memphis in closing out their conference slate with a perfect 6-0 mark. The first of several tests the Black Knights would face came at the Palmyra Tournament the following weekend when Army and Alaska Fairbanks met in a dual match. After making Ohio State ( ) its latest victim to extend its unbeaten record to 8-0, Army saw its own streak snapped by No. 1 UAF the next day. The Black Knights turned in their best effort of the season, but came up short by seven points, Boosted by its strong showing against UAF, Army headed to the NCAA Qualifier at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia a very confident squad. The Black Knights fired the third-highest score in the country to clinch a bid to the NCAA Championships in both events behind a school record 2342 smallbore and 2340 air rifle mark. While there were several personal bests at the NCAA Qualifier, the highest smallbore mark of 596 fired nationally was by Mike Jablonski. Army had little chance to sit back on its laurels and savor its performance with Navy next on the horizon in the Black Knights final 2005 NCAA Recap home encounter. Hopes of snapping Navy s 11-match series win streak fell short by four points as Army closed out the year with an 8-2 mark. The Black Knights packed their guns and headed to the GARC Championships as the top seed in the seven-team field. Army dominated the awards ceremony claiming 15 of 31 all-star certificates along with two major awards. Abalo, a rising star in the GARC, was named to the first team in all three events - smallbore, air and aggregate. He was tabbed the Rookie of the Year and Wigger repeated as coach. Army trailed 2005 champion Nebraska at the GARC Championships to finish runner-up for the second straight year. The Black Knights shined individually with Abalo capturing medalist honors in the smallbore team competition and won the shoot-off for the individual title along with being crowned the aggregate champion. A confident Army squad headed to the NCAA Championships being held at the Olympic Shooting Complex in Colorado Springs, Colo., against a very strong field headlined by an Alaska Fairbanks team looking to capture is seventh straight title. Army found itself in second place after the smallbore competition, trailing the Nanooks by just six points after firing a 2328 composite for the team title. Abalo set the pace as his 585 score ranked among the top eight shooters to advance to the individual finals where he fired a 99.6 out of a possible 109 in the shoot off to finish fourth. Team captain Paul Charbonneau (583), Lucas Leinberger, who tied his career high of 584, and Jablonski (576) joined Abalo in rounding out Army s second-place smallbore unit. Army put the finishing touches on its magical season the next day with an outstanding performance in air rifle, notching a score of 2321 to outdistance Jacksonville State by one point in the aggregate scoring (4659) to capture the program s first-ever NCAA Rifle Championship. Jacksonville State, which won the team title in air rifle after finishing third in smallbore, edged Nebraska (4657) for second place and Alaska Fairbanks took fourth (4656). Abalo and Leinberger set the pace in air rifle firing identical 585 marks to advance to the individual finals where they placed fourth and seventh, respectively. Freshman David Amiot and Jablonski completed the rest of Army s four-man team with respective scores of 581 and 580. Heading into the championship, I expected Alaska Fairbanks to run away with the title, and that it would be between us, Nebraska and Jacksonville State battling for the second spot, commented Wigger, crowned the National Coach of the Year for the second straight year. We didn t realize at first how close we were after the first day when we trailed Alaska Fairbanks by just a few points to stand in second place. Even though it was close, it still felt like we were way behind because we expected them to be 20 points ahead of us. Going into the final day, we knew that air rifle was their weakness. It was then that I felt it would be a shooting match between us, Alaska and Nebraska. I was thrilled when we won the title, a year earlier than I had predicted. My biggest reward was being surrounded by such a great group of cadets, and the thrill of coaching them to the NCAA Championship was unbelievable. The Black Knights capped the season with a school record seven All-America certificates as five were accorded honors by the National Rifle Association (NRA). Abalo made school history as the first freshman and second Black Knight to earn first-team honors in both disciplines. David Cannella, USMA Class of 1984, earned similar honors in back-to-back seasons his sophomore and junior years. Jablonski was selected to the second team in both events. Leinberger (smallbore) and Amiot (air rifle) earned second-team honors in their specialties, while Charbonneau was an honorable mention pick in air rifle Media Guide

11 Tronsrue Marksmanship Center Army s athletic program has been significantly enhanced by several state-of-the-art facilities benefiting numerous Black Knight athletes. The construction and improvement of facilities on the West Point campus has had a positive impact on Army s 25 intercollegiate sports. The prominent rise of the rifle team as the top program in the nation, capturing is first NCAA title this past spring, is due to Tronsrue Marksmanship Center, completed in January The range underwent major reconstruction after a portion of the facility was destroyed by fire in The indoor marksmanship center, located next to Gillis Field House along the banks of the Hudson, is equipped with three ranges to include housing the club pistol team. The rifle range has 20 firing points, six more than the former range, with distances of 10 meters for air rifle and 50 feet for smallbore. The air rifle range, used exclusively for air gun training and competition, also has 20 firing points and is shared by both the rifle and pistol teams. Army unveiled its newly minted Tronsrue Marksmanship Center on a national stage when it hosted the 2003 NCAA Men s and Women s Rifle Championships, marking the national championship s first appearance at West Point since It was also the fourth time in the NCAA s 24-year rifle history that Army has been chosen as the host site. The Black Knights first hosted the tournament in 1981, the second year that the rifle championships came under the NCAA s auspices. Current Army head coach Ron Wigger competed against the Black Knights that year as a member of Eastern Kentucky s nationally ranked rifle team. Four years later as the host school, Army turned in a fifth place finish, putting the touches on an 11-2 season. The NCAA Championships returned to West Point in 1991, and the Black Knights turned in a sixth-place finish competing in air rifle. Tronsrue took center stage again in 2004 when it hosted the Great America Rifle Championships with the Black Knights placing second. Funding for the reconstruction and renovation of the range was included in West Point s Bicentennial Campaign plan as part of its Margin of Excellence initiative. Government funds were uti- lized along with private funds. The lead donors for the project were George Marion Tronsrue III (USMA 78) and Mr. And Mrs. Thomas Petrie (USMA 67). On April 13, 2000, the center was dedicated to honor the American solider and Tronsrue s father (George Marion Tronsrue, USMA 52), a four-year member of the Army rifle team. Tronsrue is the largest collegiate rifle facility in the country, stated Wigger, the beneficiary of the state-of-the-art facility. It already has had an immense impact on recruiting. Bringing a prospective candidate into this facility is paramount to a football recruit viewing Michigan s Stadium in Ann Arbor or Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., for the first time. It is the same effect. Not only does it provide us an ideal practice facility, but a range that gives us pride knowing it is the best in the country. The dividends are evident in the number of records we have broken and continually challenge. Army won the Great America Rifle Conference regular-season title last year with an unbeaten 6-0 mark, finished runner-up at the GARC Championships, then closed out a magical season at the NCAA Championships where it edged Jacksonville State by a point for its first title in school history. The Black Knights have compiled a 16-5 mark over the past two years, which includes a berth to the NCAA Championships in both events and back-to-back runner-up finishes at the GARC Championships. Tronsrue Records Individual Air Rifle, 60 Shots (600) 591 Chris Abalo vs. Kentucky 10/09/04 Smallbore 3-Position (600) 589 Chris Abalo vs. Navy 2/19/05 Aggregate 1177 Chris Abalo vs. Kentucky 10/09/04 Team Air Rifle, 240 Shots (2400): 2336 vs. Kentucky, 10/9/04: Abalo (591), Charbonneau (586), Fiddes (583), Leinberger (576) Smallbore 3-Position, 240 Shots (2400): 2325 vs. Norwich, 11/20/05: Abalo (589), Charbonneau (585), Jablonski (578), Fiddes (573) Combined, 480 shots (4800): 4649 vs. Norwich, 11/20/05: Abalo (584/589), Charbonneau (590/584), Fiddes (574/573), Amiot (576 air), Jablonski (578 sm) Media Guide 11

12 Army s rifle team set the bar high last year after capturing its first ever NCAA title in school history, and its goal for 2006 is to defend its title. Army begins the first leg of that journey when the Black Knights visit the Bluegrass State for a pair of Great America Rifle Conference matches against Kentucky and Memphis. The Black Knights captured the GARC regular-season title last year with a perfect 6-0 mark, while placing second to Nebraska at the 2005 championship. The GARC was well represented at last year s NCAA Championships as five teams qualified in either one or both guns and three finished among the top six that battled for the team trophy led by national champion Army. Silver-medalist Nebraska trailed Army by two points, while Kentucky placed sixth. In the team events, the Senior Lucas Leinberger Cornhuskers were second in the air rifle competition followed by the Black Knights (third), Memphis (fourth) and the Wildcats (8th). Army led the way in smallbore with a second-place finish, while Nebraska was fourth, Kentucky sixth and Xavier was seventh. I am certain that there are those who felt that it was a fluke last year when we captured the NCAA title, said two-time CRCA National Coach of the Year Ron Wigger. I want the team to have the mindset that it was not a fluke, and we are going to demonstrate it by our performance this year. The opportunity to repeat is enhanced by the experience that we gained in I felt when we won the national title last March that it came a year earlier than expected because everything pointed for us to be a contender this year. It was an exciting finish last year, and it will be a stern test for us as we look to repeat, but I have no doubt that we will be right in the mix of the six teams that will vie for the title. Army has a strong returning base as just one member of last year s NCAA championship team graduated. Sophomore Chris Abalo, a fourth-place finisher at the NCAAs in both disciplines, the GARCs Rookie of the Year and a two-time first team All- American, is Army s top returning shooter in both disciplines Season Outlook Junior John Fiddes Senior team captain Lucas Leinberger will provide strong leadership to a talented field. He qualified for the NCAAs individually in air rifle and was part of the four-man unit in smallbore that earned the silver at the championships along with placing seventh individually. Junior Mike Jablonski and sophomore David Amiot rounded out Army s four-man NCAA Championship team. Jablonski fired the top smallbore score in the nation of 596 at the NCAA Qualifier in meeting the individual standards for the NCAAs. He was also a member of both team disciplines at the NCAAs, while Amiot competed with the air unit. Senior Ian Smith and junior John Fiddes have also been to the NCAA Championships as both were part of the field that competed at the 2004 meet. Smith s strongest gun is air rifle, while Fiddes is equally strong in both events. Both are talented and expected to be top contributors once again this season. Also emerging are sophomores Matthew Hamilton and Kristina Wilkins, who are capable of posting higher scores with the year of experience to draw Sophomore Chris Abalo upon. Wigger has recruited another outstanding class eager to be part of a winning tradition. Wesley Hess is a highly-regarded freshman who ranks among the top shooters in the country in air rifle, which has been a strong event for the Black Knights the last few years. Harrison Gauthier has the talent to battle for a position on the team in air rifle, while walk-on Darrell Norman completes the list of newcomers. Wigger will also be able to get an early gauge on arch-rival Navy when the Black Knights travel to Air Force for the Presidents Trophy Match in early November. One of our goals this season is to beat Navy, which we have not done in my tenure. They are a strong team, and this meet will give us a good indication and prepare us for when we go head-to-head against them in February. Army s schedule is similar to last year s with seven GARC opponents dominating the 11-match slate. Competing on the road in their first four meets of the season, including three conference matches, the Black Knights host North Carolina State, the newest member of the GARC, in their home debut Nov. 12 followed by the University of the Sciences (Philadelphia) in closing out the fall portion of its schedule. Highlighting the second half of the season are GARC matches against Nebraska, Xavier and Ole Miss, as the Black Knights look to defend their regular-season conference title. Alaska Fairbanks, whose six-year NCAA reign was snapped by Army last year, and Navy dot the non-league opponents along with competing at the Palmyra Tournament, the NCAA Qualifier, the GARC Championships and the NCAA Tournament Media Guide

13 Season in Review Results (8-2, 6-0 GARC) Army Opponents Date Opponent Smbr A.R. Agg. Smbr A.R. Agg. Oct. 9 KENTUCKY* WEST VIRGINIA* Nov. 6 Presidents Trophy Mach nd 13 Xavier* Nebraska* NORWICH Jan. 15 Mississippi* Memphis* (Oxford, Miss.) Ohio State! Alaska Fairbanks! Feb. 11 NCAA Qualifier (Philadelphia, Pa.) GARC Championships (Oxford, Miss.) nd 19 NAVY Mar. 12 NCAAs (Colorado Springs, Colo.) st *GARC Match Home Matches in Bold CAPS +Walsh Tournament (Cincinnati, Ohio)!Palmyra Tournament (Palmyra, Pa.) Season Highs Team Air Rifle vs. Mississippi... 1/15/ vs. Nebraska... 11/14/ NCAA Qualifier... 2/11/05 Smallbore NCAA Qualifier... 2/11/ vs. Norwich... 10/20/ vs. Mississippi... 1/15/05 Aggregate NCAA Qualifier... 2/11/05... vs. Nebraska... 11/13/ vs. Norwich... 10/20/04 individual Air Rifle Chris Abalo... 2/26/ Chris Abalo... 2/11/ Chris Abalo... 11/13/ David Amiot... 1/15/ Chris Abalo... 10/09/04 Smallbore Mike Jablonski... 2/11/ Chris Abalo... 2/26/ Chris Abalo... 2/19/ John Fiddes... 11/14/ Paul Charbonneau... 2/26/ Ed Harrison... 2/11/05 Aggregate Chris Abalo... 2/26/ Chris Abalo... 2/11/ Chris Abalo... 11/14/ Chris Abalo... 1/15/ Chris Abalo... 10/09/ Media Guide 13

14 Black Knight Profiles Lucas Leinberger 5-6 Senior Linn, Mo./Linn Talented shooter and strong leader elected by peers to captain squad as the Black Knights look to defend NCAA crown shined at the NCAA Championships past two years in both guns finished seventh individually in air rifle at 2005 meet after advancing with teammate Chris Abalo as one of top eight shooters to compete in a 10-shot shoot-off tied with Abalo in posting Army s highest mark in that discipline... trailed Abalo by a point firing the second-highest score in smallbore to set the pace as the Black Knights finished third and runner-up, respectively, in the team events en route to its firstever NCAA title... named NRA All-American and GARC all-star in smallbore NCAA individual qualifier in air rifle... contender to repeat three-year letterwinner : Worked way into four-man smallbore lineup by start of winter portion of schedule fired 583 in first meet to tie for third in GARC win over Mississippi... bettered that mark with a 584 in final dual meet versus Navy followed by a 581 at GARC Championships in helping Army to the team title member of smallbore unit that competed and met standard at NCAA Qualifier fired a career-high 592 shooting independently at that meet in air rifle to rank among top 10 shooters in the country to qualify individually in that event for the NCAAs headed to second straight NCAA meet as part of four-man lineup in both disciplines registered a 584 smallbore score to tie career-high along with posting the second highest Army mark on the opening day of NCAAs as the Black Knights finished runner-up to defending champion Alaska Fairbanks... registered a 585 air rifle score to tie for second highest on team along with qualifying in the shoot-off for the individual title went on to finish seventh out of 10 shooters who advanced added All-America certificate to list of awards in being named to the second unit in smallbore GARC all-star pick as well in being named second straight year to second unit in smallbore tied aggregate 1169 score at NCAAs (584 smallbore, 585 air rifle) : Appeared in every match in smallbore and air rifle... in team lineup in all but one smallbore match... worked way into fourman air rifle unit in final 10 matches after shooting individually in the first three... ranked among the top three shooters in both disciplines... shattered smallbore set earlier in the season at the GARC Tournament with an 1164 in finishing third while posting Armys highest individual finish... second time topped the Black Knights in that discipline... averaged an 1157 in the final four matches, to include the GARC and NCAA Championships... fired in the 380s in air rifle in all but the opening match of the season to register a 384 average... broke career mark with 389 garnering runner-up honors in win over West Virginia... shined in postseason tournaments tied for fourth place at the GARC Tournament, while 389 ranked second on the team and tied personal best at the NCAA Championships... careerhigh 1552 aggregate score came at the GARC Championships... picked twice for all-garc honors... earned second-team accolades in smallbore and honorable mention in the combined scoring : Competed in all but one meet in smallbore... fired an 1149 in first match of the season... bettered that mark by 11 points in closing out first-half competition with a career-high 1160 in tying for sixth place in triangular match with Ole Miss and West Virginia... also equaled the school smallbore standing mark in the meet with a worked way into starting lineup in both disciplines by the second half of the season... top score of 386 in air rifle recorded against defending national champion Alaska Fairbanks... highest individual finish was sixth in triangular meet with Texas Christian and University of Sciences in Philadelphia... part of Academy record team that set new aggregate mark of PRIOR TO WEST POINT: Qualified for the Junior Olympic Rifle Championships in position shooting in member of Biathlon Team at the European Cup in Germany in PERSONAL: Given name is Lucas Flinn Leinberger... born Dec. 8, son of John and Grace Leinberger... majoring in Russian. leinberger s Career Highs Smallbore 584 NCAA Championships 3/11/05 Air Rifle 592 NCAA Qualifier 2/11/05 Aggregate 1169 NCAA Championships 3/12/05 Ian Smith 5-7 Senior Front Royal, Va./LaCueva (N.M.) One of two seniors on team who provides leadership and experience continues to refine skills in bid to return to form displayed first two years member of the school record aggregate team freshman year under different course format... on Army s air rifle contingent at the 2004 NCAA Championships as a sophomore strongest gun is air rifle and will look to earn one of top eight spots after seeing limited duty last year three-year letterwinner : Competed individually in four meets in air rifle and three in smallbore twice fired a 573 in air rifle, the first in the season opener versus nationally-ranked and conference rival Kentucky equaled that mark in final dual match against arch-rival Navy in the Star match second-best mark of 563 recorded in non-conference meet against Norwich highest score of season of 574 record in smallbore against Kentucky followed that with a 569 versus West Virginia along with a 570 in Norwich meet for average Media Guide

15 : Competed in 12 of 13 matches in both disciplines... drew time as a regular in the air rifle lineup in 11 meets, while competing as an individual in smallbore... scored a career-high 384 air rifle mark in tying for runner-up honors in the season opener versus Xavier, then broke it by a point in second place showing in the next meet... retied personal best 384 against No. 2 Kentucky, then shattered it with a 388 at the NRA Sectionals in recording third second-place finish of the season... fired Army s second-best score (385) in annual showdown with Navy... recorded 380 or better five times... qualified for the NCAA Championships in air rifle, helping Army to a seventh-place finish... competed individually in smallbore... season high of 1148 fired at the NRA Sectionals... competed with regular lineup at annual President s Trophy Match... qualified for the National Smallbore Rifle Junior Olympics... placed 37th in the 50-meter three-position : Appeared in five of 13 matches... recorded a 379 in air rifle and 1126 in smallbore in first collegiate meet... mark in air rifle was fifth highest on the team and 12th overall, while the score in smallbore ranked 16th overall... bettered smallbore mark in next match by 14 points with an 1140 in tying for eighth place in sweep of Texas Christian and University of Sciences in Philadelphia... turned in best mark at NRA Sectionals in recording an 1162 for Army s second-highest mark in that meet as the Black Knights set a new school aggregate score of top air rifle mark of 382 registered against arch-rival Navy in final regular-season match. PRIOR TO WEST POINT: Earned three letters in rifle at LaCueva H.S. (N.M.)... served as team captain... competed in air rifle... led team to pair of state club titles... placed third on scholastic team at USA National Junior Olympic Championships. PERSONAL: Given name is Ian Dessert Smith... born April 25, son of Larry and Dottie Smith... grandfather Rolland Dessert and uncle Rolland Dessert graduated from West Point in 1946 and 1972, respectively... majoring in Comparative Politics. smith s Career Highs Smallbore 574 Kentucky 10/9/04 Air Rifle 573 Navy 2/19/05 Aggregate 1147 Kentucky 10/9/04 Black Knight Profiles John Fiddes 5-11 Junior Long Valley, N.J./Delbarton Heads into third year ranked among regulars in Army s air rifle and smallbore rotations six-time Great America Rifle Conference allstar who has been cited twice in smallbore, air rifle and combined talented shooter who provides team with solid scores and experience, both key factors as the Black Knights look to defend NCAA title potential to be an All-American member of Army team that finished fourth at 2004 NCAA Championships two-year letterman : Second straight year opened the season as part of fourman rotation in both smallbore and air rifle... personal best 589 air rifle score earned medalist honors in GARC win over Memphis... followed that performance by placing second in Ohio State meet at the Palmyra Invitational top mark in smallbore (587) earned runner-up honors in win over nationally-ranked and conference rival Nebraska score shattered previous high of 582 recorded day prior in GARC win over Xavier third-best mark of 581 fired against Mississippi and at the NCAA Qualifier averaged in smallbore and mark in air rifle one of four Black Knights cited for three GARC all-star certificates... selected for second team honors in smallbore and combined scoring along with honorable mention in air rifle : Appeared in the team lineup in every match, including the postseason, in both events... fired a 380 or better air rifle mark in all but two matches to average posted a career-high 389 against defending NCAA champion Alaska Fairbanks in topping Army for the first time... duplicated that mark in third-place finish for Army s highest individual placing at the GARC Championships... named to the all- GARC second team in air rifle and aggregate scoring along with honorable mention in smallbore... posted Army s second-highest smallbore score in third match of the season with an broke that mark in runner-up finish against No. 2 ranked Nebraska with 1162 for top mark on squad... equaled that score the next day against NCAA defending champion Alaska Fairbanks... shot one point under that mark at the NCAAs... scored in the 1160s in three of final six matches to average an highest aggregate score (1551) registered versus UAF... qualified for the National Smallbore Rifle Junior Olympics... finished 11th in 50-meter 3-position Media Guide 15

16 PRIOR TO WEST POINT: Member of the Somerset Junior Rifle Club... multiple New Jersey male state rifle and air rifle champion... twotime National Junior Olympic qualifier... recruited by several of the top ranked schools in the country. PERSONAL: Given name is John Raeburn Fiddes III... born Dec. 23, son of John and Jessica Fiddes... majoring in Management. fiddes Career Highs Smallbore 587 Nebraska 11/14/04 Air Rifle 589 Memphis 1/16/05 Aggregate 1168 Nebraska 11/14/04 Mike jablonski 5-9 Junior Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado Talented shooter who made tremendous progress first two years in the program proved pleasant surprise last year after stepping up scores late in the season to head to NCAA Championships a member of both units went on to become part of history-making team as Army captured first-ever NCAA title despite lacking smallbore experience coming into program, dedication and workmanlike attitude earned spot in lineup freshman year member of four-man smallbore team at the NCAAs the past two years, along with firing on the air rifle unit at 2005 meet en route to the national crown highlight of season was performance at NCAA Qualifier after firing the highest score in the country posted 596 out of a possible 600 capped the season with All-America honors in both events along with earning three GARC certificates, including first team honors in the combined scoring and smallbore scholar-athlete as well contender to repeat as an All-American and GARC all-star twoyear letterwinner : Appeared in every meet in both disciplines... opened year as part of four-man smallbore rotation while competing individually in air rifle before working way into lineup by late January finished runner-up with a 393 out of a possible 400 after posting Army s top air rifle score in meet against NCAA defending champion Alaska Fairbanks as Army edged Nanooks by five points in the team competition followed that performance competing with both Army units at the NCAA Qualifier as the Black Knights turned in the third highest combined score one of two Black Knights to earn one of 12 individual slots to the NCAAs after firing the highest score in the country with 596 posting... mark shattered previous high by 12 points top air Black Knight Profiles rifle mark of 587 earned runner-up honors against Norwich... earned GARC all-star honors in all three disciplines... tabbed for first team honors in smallbore and combined scoring, while second team pick in air rifle... first Army shooter to garner GARC scholar-athlete honors... fired a 581 as Army captured GARC smallbore title registered a 576 mark in smallbore and 580 in air rifle at NCAA championships in helping Army capture first-ever title capped season with second team NRA All-America honors in air rifle and smallbore sixth place (2286) finish in smallbore earned spot on Top 10 all-star unit at the National Junior Olympic Championships : Competed as a regular in the smallbore lineup in every match... fired an 1150 or higher in final four matches of season for 1159 average... scored a career-high 1164 in annual showdown with Navy to finish second among Army shooters and fourth overall... mark shattered previous best of 1158 set week prior at NRA Sectionals... competed at the GARC Championships as a member of smallbore and air rifle teams... performance helped Army to runner-up honors in both disciplines and the combined scoring... led the smallbore team to a third-place finish and season-high 4638 at the NCAA Championships... appeared in 11 of 13 matches in air rifle... member of the starting lineup in six of the first eight meets... personal-best 384 fired in second meet of the season versus Akron... scored 380 or better five times and just missed another... one of three Black Knights to compete at the National Junior Olympic Championships... recorded a 2263 in smallbore three-position to finish 17th in a field of 62 shooters. PRIOR TO WEST POINT: Earned four letters at Eldorado H.S.... second at 2003 NRA National air rifle three-position and international competition... Western Regional CMP Cup winner NRA State and Junior Olympic rifle champion. PERSONAL: Given name is Michael Thomas Jablonski... born Feb. 8, parents names are Joe Jablonski and Pat Braaten... majoring in Mechanical Engineering. jablonski s Career Highs Smallbore 596 NCAA Qualifier 2/11/05 Air Rifle 587 Norwich 11/20/04 Aggregate 1179 NCAA Qualifier 2/11/05 Chris abalo 6-0 Sophomore Glendora, Calif./Glendora Blue chip prospect who lived up to preseason billing closed out rookie year as the team s top shooter in both disciplines capped phenomenal season at the NCAA Championships by leading Army to first title in school history finished fourth in both events after advancing to individual finals two-time All-American first plebe in school history to garner first team honors in both events and just second Black Knight to accomplish that feat should repeat again as an All-America and will be contender for a national title named the Great America Rifle Conference s Rookie of the Year selected as team s top rookie and shooter earned berth on Championship of Americas team that competes November in Puerto Rico also qualified for second straight year for the U.S. National Development Team expected to make even larger contribution this year as Media Guide

17 both shooter and leader despite talent, hard worker who has set bar high for himself and teammates to emulate letterwinner : Closed out brilliant rookie season at the NCAA Championships by leading Army to first title in school history finished fourth in both events after advancing to the individual finals went into the smallbore finals with a 585 qualifying mark finished with a 99.6 out of a possible 109 in the shoot-off to compile an overall aggregate of after firing 20 shots in each position (standing, prone, kneeling) registered a 585 qualifying mark in air rifle and went on to post a to finish with a total tabbed for first-team All-America honors in air rifle and smallbore by the National Rifle Association (NRA) based on performance throughout the year first freshman in school history to accomplish that feat and just the second Black Knight to claim top honors in both events named the Great America Rifle Conference s Rookie of the Year and tabbed for first-team all-star honors in smallbore, air rifle and combined scoring after leading Army to the regular-season title with unbeaten 6-0 mark top shooter at the GARC Championships in both team disciplines to lead Army to runner-up honors in the team scoring individually captured pair of GARC titles in smallbore and aggregate with combined career mark of 1184, along with finishing second in air rifle following a suddendeath shoot-off registered a career-high 594 air rifle mark, but lost by a point in the shoot-off for the crown after tying with perfect tens in first four shots first in air rifle five times, runner-up in another and third three times grabbed medalist honors eight times in smallbore earned a spot on the Championship of Americas Team on the strength of second-place finish in smallbore prone at the USA Shooting National Championships during the summer fired an 1184 to finish a point behind the medalist in the two-day competition, posting in 10-shot finals selected for the US National Development Team following a third-place finish in the three-position smallbore where he turned in the highest standing mark of PRIOR TO WEST POINT: Finalist in smallbore prone at the 2004 World Cup in Sydney, Australia... posted a Top 10 finish at 2004 Olympic Trials - one of just four shooters to finish among the leaders in all three disciplines... four-time National Junior Olympic Qualifier National Junior Olympic smallbore champion... set several national records along with winning numerous state titles. PERSONAL: Given name is Christopher Richard Abalo... born Sept. 23, son of Patty and Eddie Abalo... majoring in Geospatial Information Science.. abalo s Career Highs Smallbore 590 Navy 2/19/ GARC Championshps 2/27/05 Air Rifle 594 GARC Championships 2/26/05 Aggregate 1184 GARC Championships 2/27/05 Black Knight Profiles David amiot 5-9 Sophomore Nashville, Tenn./Montgomery Bell Academy One of Army s biggest surprises last year during freshman campaign came into the program as a solid air rifle shooter looking to make presence felt far exceeded that expectation by making immediate impact after working way up depth chart to earn starting spot in lineup in both air rifle and smallbore member of air rifle unit that finished third at the NCAA Championships as Army went on to capture first national title in school history strongest attribute is desire to succeed and strong work ethic fast-rising talent in the program after making significant progress in smallbore working way into regular four-man rotation several times during course of the year selected for GARC all-star unit in smallbore and combined scoring heads into second season as contender for top slot in both disciplines letterwinner : One of two freshmen to earn spot in both air rifle and smallbore rotations at season s start... managed to work way into four-man air rifle lineup by fifth meet of the season... earned medalist honors behind a career-high 591 in GARC win over Mississippi mark tied with classmate Chris Abalo for the third-highest score of the season... member of Army s air rifle unit at the NCAA Qualifier that combined for a recorded second-highest score on squad with a 586 turned in a 581 in air rifle at the NCAA Championships in helping Army post a 2331 the final day en route to winning the aggregate title after besting runner-up Jacksonville State by a point member of Army s four-man air rifle rotation at the GARC Championship that finished third in the team scoring among the 10-person individual qualifiers after firing a 590 with 40 bulls eyes for second-highest mark on Black Knight squad scored a 96 in the shoot-off to finish seventh with a 696 composite, just three points shy of fourth place competed individually in smallbore, finishing 38th averaged in air rifle and in smallbore named to the GARC second unit in smallbore and combined scored competed individually in majority of smallbore matches, but part of team rotation in meets versus Ohio State and Alaska Fairbanks... in addition to posting a personal best air rifle mark at the Mississippi meet, also hit the targets for a career high 583 smallbore for personal-best 1174 aggregate score against Ole Miss. PRIOR TO WEST POINT: Three-time National Junior Olympic Qualifier in air rifle... won Tennessee state air rifle and smallbore titles at the 2004 Junior Olympic Championships... four Media Guide 17

18 time all-state selection in air rifle at Montgomery Bell Academy... member of four state champion air rifle teams... runner-up individually in that event at three state meets... three-time captain and team MVP. PERSONAL: Given name is David Engel Amiot... son of Carolyn Engel and David Bruce Amiot... born Dec. 18, majoring in Aeronautical Engineering. amiot s Career Highs Smallbore 583 Mississippi 2/15/05 Air Rifle 591 Mississippi 2/15/05 Aggregate 1174 Mississippi 2/15/05 Matthew Black Knight Profiles Hamilton 5-9 Sophomore Curwensville, Pa./Curwensville Talented and fundamentally sound air rifle shooter looking for breakout season great deal of potential as evidenced by successful high school career... strong desire to succeed with experience gained last year will earn increased time with continued development has ability and skills to challenge for one of the eight and possibly the top four spots by second half of the season : Drew duty competing individually in four meets in both air rifle and smallbore fired in both guns in three of the meets recorded season-best air rifle score of 567 in season opener against defending Great America Rifle champion Kentucky posted secondbest mark of 564 in non-league match versus Norwich qualified for road trip to Ohio State and the Palmyra Tournament in January career smallbore score of 570 posted in Norwich meet also fired a 564 in Navy meet. PRIOR TO WEST POINT: Pennsylvania state high school air rifle champion and bronze medalist at the 2003 National Junior Olympic meet... four-time National Junior Olympic Qualifier. PERSONAL: Given name is Matthew Thomas Hamilton... son of Thomas and Karen Hamilton... born June 8, majoring in Law. hamilton s Career Highs Smallbore 570 Norwich 11/20/04 Air Rifle 567 Kentucky 10/9/04 Aggregate 1134 Norwich 11/20/04 Brian Kern 5-11 Sophomore Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem Proved a pleasant surprise freshman year working way into Army s travel roster on several occasions strongest gun is smallbore, but just as skilled and motivated in air rifle made significant progress hitting stride in smallbore by the second half of the season heads into the campaign a top contender for a spot on the first unit letterwinner : Averaged competing individually in five smallbore meets... fired a 572 in season opener against nationally-ranked Kentucky for the second-highest score among the newcomers equaled that mark in the final match of the fall campaign against Norwich shattered personal best at the Great America Rifle Championships, firing a 578 for the fifth-highest score by a Black Knight and 13th overall also turned in a career-high 580 in air rifle at that meet to finish 18th fired a 575 competing in first Army-Navy meet. PRIOR TO WEST POINT: Five-time National Junior Olympic Qualifier in both disciplines NRA Junior four-position smallbore champion... member of the Langhorne Rod and Gun Junior Rifle Team... shooting for eight years. PERSONAL: Given name is Brian Matthew Kern... born April 28, son of Frank and Sandra Kern... majoring in Civil Engineering. kern s Career Highs Smallbore 578 GARC Championships 2/27/05 Air Rifle 580 GARC Championships 2/26/05 Aggregate 1158 GARC Championships 2/27/05 Kristina Wilkins 5-8 Sophomore Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore East Has made significant progress following first year making adjustment to the collegiate level hard worker who continues to develop skills at the range ready to take the next step in development after sharpening mental side of game more confident shooter who will look to be a contributing member in both guns this season, but strongest event is smallbore : Competed individually in nine meets in smallbore and eight in air rifle fired a 577 against West Virginia in smallbore to tie for sixth place mark also proved to be the highest of the season fired 570 three other times and just missed that mark in another to average a second-best score of 573 recorded against Media Guide

19 Nebraska also fired a career-high 580 air rifle score...equaled that mark against conference rival Mississippi in the second half of the season competed in both events at the GARC Championships. PRIOR TO ARMY: 2003 New York State High School champion and National Junior Olympic Qualifier... product of Kenmore East High School who captured smallbore title and runner-up honors in air rifle at the state meet her senior year... garnered medalist honors in air rifle and was third in smallbore at the 2002 New York Empire State Games... joined classmate Kyle Eberly at USMAPS in PERSONAL: Given name is Kristina Dorianne Wilkins... born Aug. 5, daughter of Joanne Russo and Dr. Richard Wilkins... majoring in Spanish. wilkins Career Highs Smallbore 577 West Virginia 10/23/04 Air Rifle 580 Mississippi 1/15/05 Aggregate 1153 Nebraska 11/14/04 Black Knight Profiles Wesley hess 5-6 Freshman Humble, Texas/Humble Blue chip prospect who ranks among the top 2005 air rifle recruits in the country... talented and skilled shooter who will battle at season s start for one of the top eight spots consistently finished among the nation s best shooters the past four years at the National Junior Olympic Air Rifle Championships still developing skills in smallbore, but has the potential to reach same heights achieved in air rifle has a bright future in the Black, Gold and Gray. PRIOR TO WEST POINT: 2005 National Junior Olympic air rifle champion and 2004 American Legion three-position national air rifle champion four-time Junior Olympic National Championship Qualifier who placed in the top four every year - silver medalist twice best scores include a 593 out of 600 in air rifle and an 1162 in smallbore 2003 NRA Junior Sectional air rifle national champion and record holder (398)... JROTC letterman in rifle at Humble High. PERSONAL: Given name is Wesley Wayne Hess born Oct. 17, 1986 son of Walter and Joyce Hess major is undeclared. Harry gauthier 6-3 Freshman Arvada, Colo./Pomona Talented newcomer who will provide solid depth for Army s strongest event air rifle still developing but has the potential, the skills and drive necessary to challenge for a position on the travel squad exposed to higher level of competition as a Junior Olympic Qualifier has bright future at Army. PRIOR TO WEST POINT: Four-time Junior Olympic Qualifier ninthplace finisher at the 2004 Junior National air rifle championship medalist at the American Legion Regional three-position air rifle championships that year as well best marks include a 587 in the air rifle and 1141 in smallbore three-position competed for Arvada Rifle and Pistol Teams under coaches Keith Roberts and Norm Austen attended Pomona High. PERSONAL: Given name is Harrison Harry Mathew Gauthier born Sept. 3, 1986 son of Matt and Leanne Gauthier enjoys playing golf in free time major is undeclared. Darrell Norman 6-0 Freshman Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs Persistence paid off earning spot on team as a walk-on after refusing to be cut type of attitude Coach Wigger looks for in his athletes developing shooter who has improved with each session brings an impressive resume as a state champion and Junior Olympic Qualifier still developing, but could work way up the charts with added seasoning. PRIOR TO WEST POINT: 2005 Nevada State air rifle champion... Junior Olympic National Qualifier four-time Nevada State scholar athlete four-year letterwinner in rifle at Spanish Springs High competing for Lt. Col. Mike Coger also earned three letters in football selected for several academic awards to include Nevada Scholastic Achievement Award senior year PERSONAL: Given name is Darrell Rick Richard Norman born March 4, 1987 son of Darrell and Theresa Norman sister Laura a lieutenant in the Army stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. uncle, Tony Scherschel, is a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy began shooting at the age of eight first student from Spanish Springs H.S. to attend West Point major is undeclared Media Guide 19

20 Rifle has enjoyed a long and distinguished 81-year history at West Point since testing its mettle in 1919 when it outshot Pennsylvania in the lone match of the season. By the time the NCAA began sponsoring collegiate rifle in , the sport had been in place at the U.S. Military Academy for 58 years, never had a losing record, posted 15 undefeated seasons, while suffering no more than one to two losses on 31 occasions. The rich tradition of the sport continues today under present coach Ron Wigger, who rewrote the history annals after leading Army to its first NCAA Rifle Championship in school history last year, edging Jacksonville State by a single point for the 2005 crown. Following its inaugural season in 1919 under Capt. P.W. Newgarden, Army returned to the varsity ranks from 1923 through During that span, rifle registered seven undefeated seasons along with a school record 12 wins in 1925 competing outdoors. The Black Knights turned in an exceptional effort during the 1933 season, posting a 6-1 record indoors and unblemished 5-0 mark during the spring outdoor campaign. The sport was discontinued for the 1937 and 1938 season, returning to the range in 1939, the inaugural year of the Army-Navy rivalry. The Mids edged Army the first two years of the series, but the Black Knights won 11 of the next 13 matches, including a run of six straight, in pulling out to an early 11-4 lead in the series. After Navy claimed the next three matches, the Black Knights strung together a pair of 5-0 runs during a 14-4 stretch to take a commanding lead. Though Navy has dominated the series of late, the Mids still trail in the overall series by a margin. Army ushered in the decades of the 40s with a 43-4 record over a five-year span, including three unbeaten seasons (1941, 1942, 1944). Overall, Army registered an mark, including a school record 13 wins during the 1946 campaign. The Black Knights bettered their win total in the decade of the 50s compiling 100 wins, breaking the school win total in going undefeated (16-0) followed by unbeaten marks in (15-0) and (8-0) under Master Sgt. O.L. Gallman, who was the first coach to register 100 wins between Army was dominant in the 1960s, compiling 91 wins along with a 12-0 mark and a first-place finish at the NRA Sectionals in The 1970s was the most prolific in school history as Army compiled 102 wins, including one of the finest teams in the squad that was coached by Master Sgt. Ken Hamill. He guided Army to a school record 18-0 mark that included victories over the Coast The 1960 Army Rifle team History of Army Rifle Guard, the Royal Military College of Canada, Navy and Ohio State along with a first-place finish at the NRA Sectionals. Two years later (1980), the NCAA sponsored its first rifle championship and Army tied for seventh place that inaugural year. West Point took center stage the following year as the host for the NCAA Rifle Championships. The Black Knights found themselves part of the NCAA field the first 12 years, finishing as high as third in Army finished runner-up in smallbore and fourth in air, while three shooters were accorded All-America certificates. Rhonda Barush finished ninth at the NCAAs in that event and Gordon Taras placed 15th in garnering All-American honors. Army competed in the MAC (Mid-Atlantic and Metropolitan Championships) in the mid 80s, winning the title three straight years The sport was discontinued at the intercollegiate ranks in the id- 90s, competing the next three years at the club level before returning to varsity status in Capt. Doug Clark, an Air Force exchange officer stationed at West Point, took over the program s head reins when it returned to the intercollegiate ranks. Army compiled a 17-7 mark its first year back, but was not eligible to compete at the NCAA Championships until the following year. The Black Knights posted a 13-1 mark Clark s second season at the helm and hosted the Mid-Atlantic Championships where they finished first in smallbore and third in the aggregate scoring to trial Norwich and Navy. Clark led Army to a record during his three-year tenure, capped in 2000 when plebe Kim Pienkowski was accorded honorable mention All-America honors in air rifle by the NRA. Three members of the squad, Ben Minchhoff, Pienkowski and Joy Monson qualified for the final tryouts for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team. Wigger took over the program the following year and met with instant success as Army s lone loss in a 7-1 campaign was to Navy. Pienkowski qualified individually for the NCAAs in air rifle, the first Army shooter since Ted Brown met the standards in that discipline in Finishing 12th in her first NCAA appearance, Pienkowski was selected a first team All-American in air rifle, the first Black Knight named to that unit since Doug Cannella in Army joined the Great America Rifle Conference, considered one of the top leagues in the country, the following year. Wigger was voted Coach of the Year after leading Army to a fourth-place finish its inaugural year. Army put the finishing touches on the 2002 campaign by qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, its first visit as a team since 1991, and edging Navy by a point for the fourth spot. Jared Lostetter qualified for the individual air rifle competition, finishing ninth. Paul Charbonneau, Pienkowski and Jesus Tavaras joined Lostetter in rounding out Army s NCAA team that combined to fire a Lostetter was selected for second team All-America honors in air rifle, and Pienkowski was named to the All-Academic team. The Black Knights, host for the 2003 NCAA Tournament, did very little traveling that year as the top teams in the country dotted home Army s schedule. Army however failed to qualify for the NCAAs that year, but two members of the squad were accorded All-America honors. Pienkowski was tabbed an honorable mention in both smallbore and air rifle, while Charbonneau was selected to the second unit in smallbore, the first Black Knight named in that discipline since Charbonneau, a GARC all-star second team pick in smallbore and the aggregate scoring, took medalist honors in smallbore at the championships, breaking his own school mark with an The season was another banner year as the Black Knights finished fourth in the team scoring at the NCAAs after qualifying for the first time in both events since It was also Army s best showing since placing third in Army posted its highest score of the season in both smallbore Media Guide

21 History of Army Rifle America certificates with Abalo garnering first team honors and Jablonski second team honors in both events. The 1972 Army Rifle Team with Coach A.J. O Neill and aggregate en route to placing fourth. Wigger, along with Navy s coach Bill Kelley, was selected as Co-Coach of the Year by the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association. It was the second honor for Wigger that season, having been selected for that same accolade by the Great America Rifle Conference. Charbonneau finished eighth in a field of 24 shooters in the individual air rifle competition at the NCAAs. He capped the season with a pair of All-America certificates, being picked for first-team honors in air rifle and repeating as a second-team selection in smallbore. He was also named to the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association All-Collegiate team. The Black Knights finished runner-up at the GARC Championships, hosted at West Point, its highest showing since joining the league. Charbonneau was named a first-team all-star in air and the combined scoring along with second-team honors in smallbore. The combination of the experience returning and the talent of the newcomers would prove a perfect fit for Army s magical ride in The Black Knights captured the GARC regular-season title, their first in their four-year association in the program, with a perfect 6-0 mark. Overall, Army posted an 8-2 dual record, winning eight straight before suffering a seven-point loss to defending NCAA champion Alaska Fairbanks. After posting the third-highest score in the country at the NCAA Qualifier, Army fell by four points to arch-rival Navy in its final dual match. Army walked off with a majority of the GARC awards in claiming 15 of 31 all-star certificates along with freshman sensation Christopher Abalo being named the Rookie of the Year and Wigger repeating as Coach of the Year. The Black Knights finished second for the second straight year with Abalo earning medalist honors in smallbore. The next stop was the NCAA Championships where Army found itself in second place after smallbore, trailing defending champion Alaska Fairbanks by six points. Army scored a 2321 the final day in air rifle to nip Jacksonville State, which took first in that discipline, by a point for the 2005 NCAA title as just four points separated the top four place winners. Abalo finished fourth individually in both events and Leinberger was seventh in air rifle, while Wigger repeated as National Coach of the Year. Five Black Knights combined for a school record seven All- Coach Ken Hamill, second on left standing, circa 1970s COACHING RECORDS Coach Years Season W L Pct. Capt. P.W. Newgarden Self Coached Maj. C.A. Bagby Lt. R.A. Schow Capt. F.A. Macon Capt. H.C. Barnes Lt. F.X. Mulvihill Lt. T.S. Riggs Lt. O.C. Kromer Capt. R.L. Jewett Lt. Col. J.L. Throckmorton , Maj. C.F. Leonard Maj. H.N. Moorman Lt. R.A. Wise Maj. C.E. Mowry Lt. Col. George Murray Col. E.T. Miller Maj. J.R. Waterman Sgt. Maj. O.L. Gallman Sgt. Maj. A.J. O Neill Master Sgt. Ken Hamill Capt. Doug Clark Maj. Ron Wigger Totals Media Guide 21

22 David Cannella (USMA 84) Army All-Americans Year Name 1942 Richard Wise 1947 Amos Mathews 1948 Lucien Bolduc Amos Mathews 1949 Lucius Bolduc Amos Mathews 1951 Stewart Peterson 1956 Gordon Rogers 1957 Gordon Rogers 1958 James Jones 1963 William Bradburn 1964 William Bradburn 1965 William Bradburn 1966 Michael Fuller 1968 David Taylor First Team Year Name 1982 David Cannella David Cannella David Cannella^ 1985 Rhonda Barush* 1986 Gordon Taras* 1987 Gordon Taras* Randy Powell* 1990 Dale Herr* 1991 Dale Herr 2001 Kim Pienkowski^ 2004 Paul Charbonneau^ 2005 Chris Abalo+ Five-Time Selection David Cannella Three-Time Selection Amos Mathrews William Bradburn Two-Time Selection Lucien Bolduc Gordon Rogers Gordon Taras Dale Herr Chris Abalo Rhonda Barush (USMA 86) Year Name 1936 C.T. Compton 1940 Walter Gunster 1942 John Baer Howard Wehrle 1948 William DeGraf 1950 Lucien Bolduc William DeGraf 1952 Stewart Paterson 1962 John King 1963 John Ward 1964 Ladd Metzner John Ward Michael Wilkan 1965 Gary Chambers 1967 Paul Bigelman David Taylor 1969 Jim Plunkett Second Team Year Name 1970 Robert Strong 1971 Peter Kippie Jim Plunkett Robert Strong Greg Wenzloff 1972 Gary Stinnett Robert Strong 1974 Robert Jacobs Gary Stinnett Daniel Szarenski 1978 Daniel Szarenski 1981 David Cannella+ Robert Jacobs* 1983 Rhonda Barush* 1984 Rhonda Barush* David Cannella* 1985 Rhonda Barush^ Year Name Randy Powell+ Gordon Taras Rhonda Barush* Randy Powell Randy Powell^ Gordon Taras^ 1988 Randy Powell Dale Herr 1992 Duncan Lamb* 2002 Jared Lostetter^ 2003 Paul Charbonneau* 2004 Paul Charbonneau* 2005 Mike Jablonski+ Lucas Leinberger* David Amiot^ Honorable Mention Paul Charbonneau (USMA 05) Year Name 1970 Jim Plunkett 1971 Blake Gendron Myron Pangman Key: * Smallbore ^ Air Rifle + Smallbore and Air Rifle Year Name 1972 Blake Gendron Jim Plunkett 1981 William Schneider* Robert Jacobs^ Year Name 1984 Gordon Taras^ 1988 Dale Herr^ 2000 Kim Pienkowski^ 2003 Kim Pienkowski Paul Charbonneau^ Randy Powell (USMA 88) Highlights 8-Time All-American... David Canella (SB 81, 82, 83, 84; AR 81, 82, 83, 84) 8-Time All-American... Randy Powell (SB 85, 86, 87, 88; AR 85, 86, 87, 88) 6-Time All-American... Gordon Taras (SB 85, 86, 87; AR 84, 85, 87 5-Time All-American... Rhonda Barush (SB 83, 84, 85, 86; AR 85) Media Guide

23 Army at the NCAA Championships Individual Air Rifle, 60 Shots (600): 594 Chris Abalo at GARC Championships... 02/26/05 Air Rifle, Season Avg.: Chris Abalao David Amiot Smallbore Three-Position (600) 596 Mike Jablonski at NCAA Qualifier... 02/11/05 Smallbore Standing: Smallbore Kneeling: Smallbore Season Avg.: Chris Abalo Team Air Rifle, 240 Shots (2400): 2349 vs. Mississippi, Jan. 15, 2005: David Amiot (591), Chris Abalo (590), Paul Charbonneau (586), John Fiddes (582) Smallbore Three-Position, 240 Shots (2400): 2342 at NCAA Qualifier, Feb. 11, 2005: Mike Jablonski (596), Chris Abalo (588), John Fiddes (581), Lucas Leinberger (577) Combined Air Rifle/Smallbore, 480 shots (4800): 4682 at NCAA Qualifier, Feb. 11, 2005: Chris Abalo (593/588), Mike Jablonski (583/596), John Fiddes (578/581), David Amiot (air 586), Lucas Leinberger (sm 577) Chris Abalo Combined Air Rifle/Smallbore, 480 shots (4800): 4682 vs. Nebraska, Nov. 14, 2005: Chris Abalo (591/588), John Fiddes (581/587), Paul Charbonneau (589/582), David Amiot (air 584), Mike Jablonski (sm 580) Army at NCAA Championships Year Coach Smallbore Air Aggregate Place Master Sgt. Ken Hamill th Master Sgt. Ken Hamill th Master Sgt. Ken Hamill th Master Sgt. Ken Hamill th Master Sgt. Ken Hamill th Master Sgt. Ken Hamill (Ret.) th Master Sgt. Ken Hamill (Ret.) rd Master Sgt. Ken Hamill (Ret.) th Master Sgt. Ken Hamill (Ret.) rd Master Sgt. Ken Hamill (Ret.) th Master Sgt. Ken Hamill (Ret.) th Maj. Ron Wigger th Maj. Ron Wigger th Maj. Ron Wigger st The NCAA began sponsoring collegiate rifle in Mike Jablonski *Army captured its first NCAA title in school history at the 2005 Championships - the third straight year that the Black Knights qualified for this prestigious event under present head coach Ron Wigger. Army qualified for the NCAAs in air rifle in 2002 to earn its first trip to the championships in ten years. *The Black Knights qualified in both disciplines in 2004, the first time since 1987, as the No. 6 seed. Army finished fourth in posting its second-best finish in the combined scoring. *Army s best finishes are 1ST (2005), 3rd (1990) and 4th (2004) Media Guide 23

24 Great America Rifle Conference The Great America Rifle Conference, with eight teams in Army, Kentucky, Memphis, Mississippi, Nebraska, West Virginia, Xavier along with the newest addition this year of North Carolina State, has been hailed as one of the toughest conferences in the country. Head Army coach Ron Wigger knew that the future of Army rifle would be enhanced and strengthened when he opted to join the GARC five years ago. Not only is it a conference that excels at the range, but its student-athletes also shine in the classroom. Army captured the National Collegiate Rifle Championship title this past winter, and though it was the Black Knights first-ever, it was the 19th time that a member of the GARC claimed that honor. West Virginia, returning to the collegiate ranks after a year s hiatus as a club sport, has captured 16 NCAA titles and has been runner-up four times. Nebraska and Xavier have each been crowned a national champion, while the Huskers were runner-up three times and the Musketeers placed second twice. In the last six NCAA championships, the GARC has been well represented with four runner-up finishes along with Army winning the 2005 title followed by Nebraska (3rd) and Kentucky (6th). At last year s NCAAs, the Wildcats were second in air rifle followed by the Black Knights and Memphis. Army led the way in smallbore with a second-place finish, Nebraska was third and Kentucky took sixth as the GARC was once again well represented at the highest collegiate level of the sport. After winning its first regular-season GARC title with an unbeaten 6-0 mark last year, the Black Knights found themselves in a unique position as the top seed heading into the championships hosted by Ole Miss, which will also be the site again for Army headed into the tournament looking to capture its first championship crown since joining the conference four years prior. Great America Rifle Conference Honors (Army joined the GARC in ) All-GARC Selections First Team 2004 Paul Charbonneau... Air Rifle, Aggregate 2005 Chris Abalo... Smallbore, Air Rifle, Aggregate Mike Jablonski... Smallbore, Aggregate Paul Charbonneau... Air Rifle Second Team 2002 Jared Lostetter... Air Rifle 2003 Kim Pienkowski... Aggregate Paul Charbonneau... Smallbore, Aggregate 2004 John Fiddes... Air Rifle, Aggregate Paul Charbonneau... Smallbore Lucas Leinberger... Smallbore 2005 David Amiot... `Air Rifle, Aggregate John Fiddes... Smallbore, Aggregate Lucas Leinberger... Smallbore Mike Jablonski... Air Rifle Paul Charbonneau... Aggregate Honorable Mention 2002 Jared Lostetter... Aggregate 2003 Kim Pienkowski... Smallbore, Air 2004 John Fiddes... Smallbore Lucas Leinberger... Aggregate 2005 Paul Charbonneau... Smallbore John Fiddes... Air Rifle The Black Knights closest match during the regular-season was a two-point edging of Xavier behind a strong showing in air rifle en route to a decision. Army came away with the lion s share of awards at the 2005 GARC banquet, held on the eve of the tournament, grabbing 15 of the 31 all-league certificates along with claiming two of the five major awards in walking off with the top rookie and coach. In addition to being selected a first team GARC all-star in all three disciplines (smallbore, air rifle and aggregate), freshman Christopher Abalo was also tabbed as the Rookie of the Year, while head coach Ron Wigger earned coaching plaudits for the second straight year and third in four years. Abalo proved he was well deserving of his awards, leading Army to runner-up honors as the medalist in smallbore and in the combined scoring along with runner-up honors in air rifle. The Black Knights fired a 2318 to win the team title in smallbore after finishing second in air rifle (2329) to compile a 4647 aggregate in trailing 2005 champion Nebraska Honors Rookie of the Year:... Chris Abalo (Army) Coach of the Year:... Ron Wigger (Army) Shooter of the Year:... Kristina Fehligs (Nebraska) Outstanding Senior:... Hannah Kerr, Xavier Team Sportsmanship:... Kentucky Scholar-Athletes:... Mike Jablonski (Army), Jeff Hamberg (Kentucky), Beth Tidmore (Memphis) Natasha Phillips (Mississippi), Stacy Underwood (Nebraska) Robin Glebes (West Virginia), Hannah Kerr (Xavier) Rookie of the Year Chris Abalo Scholar Athlete Mike Jablonski GARC Champions 2003 Paul Charbonneau... Smallbore 2005 Chris Abalao... Smallbore, Aggregate Coach of the Year Ron Wigger Ron Wigger Ron Wigger Eight-Time Selection Paul Charbonneau Six-Time Selection John Fiddes Three-Time Selection Lucas Leinberger Chris Abalo Media Guide